And Bébé Makes Three… France’s Pres. Sarkozy & First Lady Carla Photographed on Walk with Their New Baby Daughter, Guilia (video)
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on October 31, 2011
France's Pres. Nicolas Sarkozy, wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and infant daughter Guilia
Just twelve days after giving birth in the La Muette private clinic in Paris to daughter Guilia, France’s First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and husband, Pres. Nicolas Sarkozy, have taken the tiny infant out on a walk near the Palace of Versailles.
The French are elated, as it’s the first time the baby has been seen — although not actually “seen,” since she was swaddled in a cushy baby carrier during the walk — since her birth on October 19. And that would likely have been deliberate, since last week Carla told the press, “I will do everything to protect this infant, and I’ll be absolutely rigorous… I will never show photos of this child. I will never expose this child.”
Guilia is the first child born to a sitting French leader since Napoleon in 1811. She is receiving baby gifts from dignitaries from around the world.
This summary report (in French) in the video below covers the French press’s efforts to take some of the first photographs of Baby Guilia, calling it a “battle.”
Le Figaro – Giulia Sarkozy, la bataille de la première image (in French)
From Mail Online, Every inch the proud parents: Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni show off baby daughter Guilia to the world:
Looking every inch like proud new parents, Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni today staked their claim to be France’s First Family.
Despite insisting that their new daughter, Guilia, would remain hidden from public view, the presidential couple walked her through parkland around the Palace of Versailles, west of Paris.
It meant that the first ‘official’ set of family photographs could be taken, just 12 days after the baby’s birth in a private clinic in the French capital.
Mr Sarkozy, 56, is gearing up for a presidential election in the Spring, but both he and Carla, 43, have always insisted that Guilia will play no part in the campaign.
Despite this, today’s images were undoubtedly set up, with commentators in France suggesting that either Carla or the President’s aides had tipped off photographers.
‘The images certainly won’t do Mr Sarkozy’s electoral chances any harm at all,’ said one onlooker.
‘The President wanted to be seen as an ordinary dad enjoying the autumn sunshine with his beautiful wife and baby – as publicity shots of France’s First Family, they will take some beating.’
Israel Pres. Shimon Peres sends Sarkozy baby gift
From Us Magazine, First Lady Carla Bruni, President Nicolas Sarkozy Introduce Baby Giulia:
Bonjour Giulia!
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni took their 12 day old baby girl Giulia for a walk Monday at La Lanterne Park in Versailles.
“I am deeply touched by the many messages of congratulations that I have received since the birth of our daughter Giulia,” Bruni, 43, wrote on her official website Thursday.
“On this happy occasion, my husband joins me in expressing our warmest thanks to all those of you who sent us these tokens of your kindness,” the former model added of husband Sarkozy, 57.
From Celebrity Baby Scoop, Nicolas Sarkozy & Carla Bruni Stroll With Giulia:
It’s France’s First Family!
Proud new parents, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 56, and wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, 43, enjoyed a stroll with their newborn daughter Giulia at La Lanterne Park in Paris, France today (October 31).
Cradled in her mother’s arms, the 12-day-old baby girl was showered with love from her doting parents. This marks the first time the couple have been spotted out with their daughter — the first child born to a ruling French leader since Napoleon, in 1811.
From The Guardian:
Seven months from a presidential vote in which he is expected to seek re-election, Sarkozy needs a boost to his popularity.
An opinion poll published a few hours before his wife apparently went into labour revealed he was on course for a trouncing next May at the hands of the Socialist party’s newly elected candidate, François Hollande.
However, Bruni-Sarkozy has insisted the baby will be kept out of the spotlight and Stéphane Rozès, a former opinion poll director who now runs the French consultancy agency CAP, says Sarkozy would be advised not to use the child to drum up votes.
“The baby will not play at all in Sarkozy’s favour,” he warned. “The French have a very distinct view about the personal and the political and they don’t like the two to be confused. Sarkozy did this at the beginning of his mandate and it didn’t go down well.”
Rozès says the French believe their leaders must rise above personal matters and personify the role of president.
“In the French imagination the president must rise above the temporal and incarnate the spiritual. He must carry out this role above and beyond personal matters. Making a big show of personal and private matters is seen as degrading that position. The French don’t like that at all.”
Carine Marcé of pollsters TNS-Sofres agreed. “In our research the French have told us that it [the baby] won’t change anything. Of course there may be a small effect but If Carla respects what she has said about no photos, it won’t amount to much.”
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